Midwifery move to take away stillbirth anxiety

After losing her little girl Grace at 25 weeks gestation, Hayley Harris says she is anxious now that she is pregnant again. But there’s one difference this time around that she’s incredibly grateful for.

A Toowoomba woman is the first in the country to take part in a world-leading pilot program where those who have previously lost a baby through stillbirth will be supported by the same midwife throughout pregnancy.

The Rainbow Baby Project is adopting the proposal outlined in the National Stillbirth Action and Implementation Plan that highlights specialist continued care services, with more appointments, home visits, extra scans and therapies, can help reduce the stillbirth rate and offer much needed reassurance to women with high anxiety.

Hayley Harris is 11 weeks pregnant and is anxious about the pregnancy after enduring a stillbirth. Picture: Matthew Poon

Research shows that continued care during pregnancy reduces the risk of stillbirth by 16 per cent.

Women who have had a previous stillborn baby need extra care as they have a five-fold increased chance of having a stillborn baby in their next pregnancy.

They also have an increased risk of preterm birth, low birthweight, placental abruption, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.

“The benefits of this kind of continued care are well documented and we are happy to be part of a program that helps women who have endured the heartache of losing a child,” My Midwives managing director Liz Wilkes said.

Hayley Harris, pictured with her son Levi Harris-Barber, 4, is grateful to have access to the services of the Rainbow Baby Project. Picture: Matthew Poon

My Midwives has partnered with Elle TENS and are able to offer the services of a private midwife in the pilot funded by Sydney 2 CAMberra.

The service can start from the day the family finds out they are pregnant and continues until six weeks post birth and will not cost the family a cent.

“This program is relying on charity dollars but it is time for the government to invest in women and pregnancy. Continued care is a benefit to families but also the health system,” Ms Wilkes said.

“When a woman sees the same midwife throughout their pregnancy there are so many benefits to the health of the mother and baby. There is a decrease in foetal loss, preterm births and epidurals, there is more enjoyment in labour and more chance of sustained breastfeeding.”

Hayley Harris is the first woman in Australia to enjoy the services of the Rainbow Baby Project.

The Pittsworth woman lost her little girl Grace at 25 weeks gestation. She is now 11 weeks pregnant.

The trauma of losing Grace has made Ms Harris anxious about the pregnancy.

“I am so grateful to have a dedicated midwife rather than seeing a different face at every appointment,” she said.

“I feel more comfortable and know that I am being closely monitored. When I was pregnant with Grace I felt forgotten.”